Collapsible perambulator or push chair



Aug. 24, 1948. A. M. BLANEY COLLAPSIBLE `PERAMBULATOR OR PUSH -CHIR 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 5,v 1945 /N VEN TDRJ UQE y m. Bz, ,L7/VE. Y

Aug 24, 1948. A. M. BLANEY 2,447,557

GOLLAPSIBLE PERAMBULATOR OR PUSH-CHAIR Filed Nov. 5, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet3 Patented Aug. 24, 1948 UNITED TAT'ES "QOLLBSIBLE PERAMBULTQB :QR PUSHCHAIR Aubrey {Middleton Blarney, Barkingside, Ilford, 'EnglandApplicationiNovemher 5, 1945, Serial No. r626,77??l `In-Grreat:BritainApril .3, `1Q/ifi Section 1, 'Public Law 690, August', 1946`Patent expires April 3,1964

This iinvention 'has reference =to ximprovements in collapsibleperambulators `vor push-chairs 'for infants and hasfor its objectto-providevaniei` cient construction wherein the Yparts may bereadily-and simplyfadjusted to theirtwo alternative positions, (a)locked vtogether as a sturdy structure especially whenopened out foruse, and (b) compactly collapsed Aand packed together within arectangular *box-like structure made up by the existing seat, lsides,back and step of the carriage to look -very much like ra suit-case.

According V13o-the invention there -is prmri'ded afperambulator-orpush-chair comprising a chassis `lwith alseat framework, parallellinkage pivoted 4on eachside to said seat frame-work and carrying -apair of -'longitudinal supports -for two axles, sprung :elements alsovpivoted to said seat framework adjacent said parallel linkage andadapted to restrainthe movement Vof the 4wheel axles `during' -the'collapsing operation, a transversely folded and pivoted back adapted-to be swung downto form-two sides of the container holding thecollapsed -ve'hicle, :a -folding handle and'levers Yin-associationtherewith *for collapsing the 4parallel linkage with ya 'small effort, astep capable of 'folding inwards ito'iorm pa third side ofthe container,two sides vofthe bodybeingfalso adapted to loe-folded downto'formafourth and fth -side of thecontainenthe `.sixth side .ofthe containerbei-ng formed -by -the seat proper restingcntheseatframework.

-An embodiment of the linvention .will be described -in detail withlreference 'to the accompanying-drawingsin-Whicl'r:

Figure `1 showstheperambulator or'push-chair opened out vready -for useinside elevation;

'Figure v'2 shows an Vend-viewYseenffrom the rear of Figure l;

FFigure '3 shows 4the"perarnbulator or' push-chair collapsed fortransportation.

Figure ..4 is a fragmentary front sideperspective view o'ithe frameworkandside linkage connections;

`Figure V5 is ...a .broken `away side elevation ,view of a .rear portion.of `the ,side frame .and handle connections therefor; and

Figure .6 is .an ,end .viewof the parts villustrated inFig..5.

:Referring :to the drawing, -the vseat framework of the chassis:includes two main longitudinal side bearers ,I of inverted channelsection. rIYhese bearers -I :are gpreferably integrally ormed bystampi-ng with ya well `4:4 which vwillserVe Yas fa case f f or Vstoringawa-y ian apron and .folding fhood down to form Ilugs I8.

Z used for protection in wet weather, as is findicated in dot-dash linesin Figure 1.

The .following linkage and other members associated with thefseatframework'to be described hereinbelow are duplicated, i. e. a similarset and arrangement is provided for each bearer I. To lthe outsidedowndardly depending flange of thebearer `I is pivoted a parallellinkage consisting oftwospaced apart and parallel upper links :2 and -3and two similar lower links 4 and 5 ivoted thereto `in extension. Thepairs o1 upper and lower'links are joined, parallel to the bearers I, bya longitudinal connectinglink 6, and the lower link 5 is pivotallyljoined by a link @i5 to :the rearward half of the bearer I.

'To the free ends of the lower links l and 5 is pivoted a `longitudinalwheel support 8 for a pair of axles, and this support 8 spans the lowerlinks and 'has upturned horns 9 projecting outwardly ifromthe "lin-ks,each of these horns being longitudinally slotted for the accommodationof a wheel axle SIU.

On :a pivot II, centrally ydisposed on the inside downwardly dependingange of the bearer La -pairof arms I2 are pivotally mounted so as tosplay divergently in a downward direction. These arms I2 are passedthrough slots 46 formedin the horizontal vportions of steps stamped intothe sides of the WelliM. The lower ends of these arms I2 :are vwidenedand have longitudinal slots I3 i'for the reception of the axles I0carrying Wheels y4'! which axles are thus passed, at each of their ends,through one such arm I2 and also through'ahornS oithe wheel support 8 asaforesaid. The .pair of divergent arms I2 are springcontrolled torestrainoutward or splaying movement, `for instanceby a1tension spring Msecured therebetween. In addition, from a pointsubstantiallymidwaybetween the pivot II and the pointof application -of.the spring I4, a link `Iii is carried `from :each varm l2 up to theunderside of the bearer `-I andv is :adapted to yslide along saidunderside under .the .action of a compression spring I6. `The otherendcf each of these springs il 6 is fsecuredito :depending lugs ont-heunderside of the bearers I. Thesefsprings iii serve toyieldably resistthe .movement of .the links I5 when the .perambulator or pram 'iscollapsed and reassert-themselves to assist in the opening out oi fthepram.

Across :either end, the bearers I carry transverse strips I'I withftheir projecting ends turned At the back of the bearers iI,:-the`1ugsI8 carry bell crank levers having lafshor't 'arm :I9 pivoted vto a link'20 leading/t0 the pivot common to the upper and lower limbs 2 and 4 andthe longitudinal link 6. The other arm 2I of this bell-crank lever isappreciably longer and supports the main back rest 22 which is made intwo parts jointed together by a hinge 23 for the purpose to be describedhereinbelow. To this main back rest 22 there is joined by a hinge 48 asubsidiary upholstered back rest 24 which, in the opened out positionshown in Figures 1 and 2, depends downwardly on the inside of the mainback rest.

The arms 2I and 2'I are pivoted to and continued upwardly by a U-shapedtubular handle 25. This handle 25 is maintained in its extended positionby means of a catch member 28 with pins 29 and 38 in engagement withslots 26 and 3l formed in the handle 25 and the arm 2| respectively. Thecatch member 28 is further subjected to the downward pull of a spring 32keeping its hook-shaped projection 33 in locking engagement with aprojection 34 mounted in a concealed position on the inside of each ofthe upholstered side members 35. The side members 35 are pivoted to thebearers I and are adapted to be folded downward for the collapsedposition.

The side members 35 are further maintained n their opened position byswivel arms 38 pivoted at 38 to the down-turned lugs I8 of thetransverse strip I'I at the front end of the bearers I and by arms 36apivoted at 38a and 36h toward the rear of the bearers, see Figure l. Arivet 31 secures each side member 35 to swivel arm 36 so that these twoparts may be kept in their correct relative positions.

When the side members 35 swing down in their own plane during collapsingof the pram, they swing with the swivel arms 36 pivoted at 38 and withthe swivel arms 36a to which the sides 35 are also pivoted at 36h. Thearms 36, as shown in Fig. 1, extend upwardly towards the tops of thesides 35. To add to the rigidity of the sides in their up or raisedposition there is provided a yiel'dable button generally indicated by31a carried by each side adapted to frictionally engage with the fiattop surface of each of the arms 36.

The pivots 38 on either side of the seat framework further carry a baror strip 39 directed forwardly and downwardly to be joined each at itsother end by an upwardly inclined strip or bar 40 adapted to support arubber-faced step 4I upholstered on its lower side. The strips 40 haveItheir other ends linked to curved strip members 42 whose free straightend portions are adapted to slide parallel to and along the outside ofthe bearers i being held by a suitable keeper rigidly fixed in relationto bearer i, and are fitted with hook-shaped members, not shown, whichare, in the closed position engaged by the arm I 9 on the bell cranklever 2I for locking the step assembly in the closed position. A handle49 is fixed to the exterior of the main back rest 22.

The collapse of the perambulator or push-chair into the compactercarriage position is brought about in the following manner:

The catch member 28 is raised slightly to disengage its hook-shapedprojection 33 from the projection 34. The front of the seat framework isnow seized by say the left hand of the operator and the handle 25 by theright hand. The handle 25 is then subjected to a slight rearward anddownward pressure which will cause the shorter bell-crank arm I9 to movein clockwise direction and push the links and 6 towards 4 the front ofthe chassis, taking with them the side members 35 backwardly anddownwardly moving in their own plane. The upper and lower links 2, 3 and4, 5 are thus caused to close together V-wise and draw up the wheelsupport 8. In being thus drawn up the wheel axles II! are guided by theslots I3 in the divergent arms I2 whose position relative to the seatframework is materially the same in the collapsed state.

It will be seen from Figure 3, when the wheel axles I8 are drawn up inthe slots I3, they will have moved towards one another along the slottedhorns 9 until the wheels 41 touch one another. At this point of thecollapsing operation, the shorter bell crank arm I9 will have nearlymoved through a semi-circle and assumed a position parallel to thebearer I. The longer bell crank arm 2l rotated through the same anglewill now be positioned at right angles to the bearers I and will bepointing downwards.

The catch member 28 is now further pulled against the action of thespring 32 until its projection 33 clears the end of the longer bellcrank arm 2I. The rigid connection between the handle 25 and the arm 2Iis thus broken. Thevhandle 25 can now be rotated about the pivot 21through a right angle into the position shown in Figure 3. The catchmember 28, it will be observed, now occupies an inclined position in thebottom right hand corner of the container.

As will be apparent from the drawing, as the arm 2l has been broughtinto the collapsed position, the main and subsidiary back rests 22 and24 will have followed it in its movement and will still occupy aposition paralell to it. The main back rest 22 is now broken about thehinge 23 already referred to and the subsidiary back rest 24 is foldedabout the hinge 48 through three quarters of a circle until it comes upagainst the handle 25 and occupies the position shown in Figure 3. l

The `collapse of the perambulator, or push chair, is completed bypushing the curved strip members 42 towards the rear of the chassisuntil .their hook-shaped members above described are engaged by theshorter bell crank levers I9'an'd tightly locked in position thereby.During this inward movement of the curved strip members 42 the bars 39will be lowered into a position :perpendicular to the bearers I, as canbe readily visualised, and the step 4I will be pulled up against the bar39. The upholstered underside of the step 4I will thus complete therectangular container holding the collapsed vehicle, the other sides ofthe container being formed as described by the seat proper 43, the mainand subsidiary back rests 22 and 24 and the side members 35, the latterautomatically swinging backwardly and4 downwardly in their own plane toa lowered position during the collapsing of the perambulator.

I claim:

1. An improved collapsible perambulator or push-chair comprising a,chassis with .a seat framework, parallel linkage pivoted on each side tosaid seat framework and carrying a pair of longitudinal supports for twoaxles, spring elements also pivoted to saidseat framework adjacent saidparallel linkage an-d adapted to restrain the movement of the wheelaxles during the collapsing operation, a transversely folded and pivotedback adapted to be swung down to form two sides of a container holdingthe collapsed vehicle, a folding handle and levers in. associationtherewith 'for collapsing the parallel linkage with a small eiort, astep capable of folding inwards to form a third side of the container,two sides of the body .being also adapted to :be folded down to form afourth and fth side of the container, the sixth side of the containerbeing formed by the seat prop-er resting on the seat framework.

2. .An improved collapsible perambulator or push-chair comprising achassis with a seat framework, parallel linkage pivoted on each side tosaid seat framework and carrying a pair of longitudinal supports for twoaxles, spring elements also pivoted to said seat framework adjacent saidparallel linkage and adapted to restrain the movement of the wheel axlesduring the collapsing operation, a transversely folded and pivoted backadapted to be swung down to form two sides of a co-ntainer holding thecollapsed vehicle, a folding handle and levers in association therewithfor collapsing the parallel linkage with a small effort, a step capableof folding inwards to form a third side of the container, linkagepivotally connected to said step and to the front edge of the chassis,lock means carried by said levers associated with said folding handlewhen said step is folded inwards to form the third side of saidcontainer, two sides of the body being also adapted to be fol-ded downto form a fourth and fifth side of the container, the sixth side of thecontainer being formed by the seat proper resting on the seat framework.

3. A collapsible perambulator, comprising a chassis having side bearersof inverted channel section, said bearers being integrally formed, awell formed from said bearers adapted to serve as a storage case, a seatframework carried by the said chassis, parallel linkage pivoted on eachside to said seat framework and carrying a pair of longitudinal supportsfor two axles, spring elements also pivoted to said seat frameworkadjacent said parallel linkage and adapted to restrain the movement ofthe wheel axles during the collapsing operation, a transversely foldedand pivoted back adapted to be swung down to form two sides of acontainer holding the collapsed vehicle, a folding handle and levers inassociation therewith for callapsing the parallel linkage with a smalleffort, a step capable of folding inwards to form a third side of thecontainer, two sides of the body being also adapted to be folded down toform a fourth and fifth side of the container, the sixth side of thecontainer being formed by the seat proper resting on the seat framework.

4. An improved collapsible perambulator or push-chair comprising achassis with a seat framework, parallel linkage pivoted on each side tosaid seat framework and carrying a pair of longitudinal supports for twoaxles; wheels journalled on said axles, said longitudinal supportsspanning the lower extremities of said parallel linkage extended belowthe seat framework and having upturned slotted ends for said axles;spring elements also pivoted to said seat framework adjacent saidparallel linkage and adapted to restrain the movement of the wheel axlesduring the collapsing operation, a transversely folded and pivoted backadapted to he swung down to form two sides of a container holding thecollapsed vehicle, a folding handle and levers in association therewithfor collapsing the parallel linkage with a small effort, a step capable'of folding inwards to form a third side of the container, two sides ofthe body being also adapted to be folded down to form a fourth Handfifth side of the container, the sixth side of the container beingformed by the seat proper resting on the seat framework.

5i. An improved collapsible perambulator or push-chair comprising achassis with a seat framework, parallel linkage pivoted on each side tosaid seat framework and carrying a pair of longitudinal supports for twoaxles, spring elements also pivoted to said seat framework adjacent saidparallel linkage and adapted to restrain the movement of the wheel axlesduring the collapsing operation, a pair of diverging arms having slottedends around each end of the wheel axles between the said longitudinalsupports, a spring mounted between the arms to restrain the movement ofthe wheel axles in the collapsing operation, a transversely folded andpivoted back adapted to be swung down to form two sides of a containerholding the collapsed vehicle, a folding handle and levers inassociation therewith for collapsing the parallel linkage with a smalleffort, a step capable of folding inwards to form a third side of thecontainer, two sides of the body being also adapted to be folded down toform a fourth and fifth side of the container, the sixth side of thecontainer being formed by the seat proper resting on the seat framework.

AUBREY LHDDLETON BLANEY.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Wannenwetsch Oct. 21,1913 Number

